Blight is the name given to a number of fungi- and bacterium-caused diseases that thrive in cool to warm, damp weather. Blight begins as small, dark lesions on stems, foliage and/or fruit. The spots will enlarge under wet conditions and may begin to exhibit white mold. Browning and shriveling of the plant will follow over the next two weeks. Blight is aggressive, and its spores can travel for miles.

Downy Mildew is a group of fungus-like diseases that are often confused with botrytis, Powdery Mildew and other foliage diseases. Downy Mildew often starts with white to bluish-white, fluffy growth on the undersides of the leaves, and yellow spots on the tops of the leaves. As the infected area dies, it can turn yellow to brown, purplish, reddish-black or bleached white, and the fluffy growth turns grayish.

Sooty Mold is a thread-like, black-colored fungus that grows in honeydew secretions left by insect pests like Scale, Whitefly and Aphids.

There are many different kinds of Ants found in the United States. All Ants have three body parts, three sets of legs and a round abdomen. They range in color from yellow to reddish-brown to black and also range in size, up to ½ inch long. 

Aphids are very small, pear-shaped soft-bodied insects that commonly infest many garden plants, especially roses and vegetables. Often called "Plant Lice", they range from less than 1/8 to 1/4 inch long. An aphid comes in many colors, but green, black and yellow are common.

Cottony Cushion Scales are a soft scale insect. They get their name and appearance from the hundreds of white waxy egg sacks that mature females attach to their bodies.

Lace Bugs are small insects, about 1/8 inch long at maturity, that have transparent, vein-covered wings that fold flat over their bodies. The delicate wings give the appearance of "lace." Immature Lace Bugs are dark-colored, wingless and have prominent spines.

Leafhoppers are small, wedge-shaped hopping insects. Adults are about ¼ inch long and slender. They range in color from green to brown and yellow. They have a distinctive "sideways" walking movement and are excellent flyers. Their eyes are on the side of their head, and they have piercing mouthparts. They are found throughout home gardens.

Mealybugs are scale-like insects with a white, waxy protective covering that makes infested plants appear to be covered in cotton. These pests are tiny – from 1/32 to 1/8 inch long – but are very hard to control because of the wax-like threads they cover themselves with.

Psyllids are Aphid-like, flying and hopping pests that are often called "jumping plant lice." Adult Psyllids are tiny (1/6 inch long) and brownish or green in color, with long translucent wings folded on their backs. Immature Psyllids can be covered in waxy white hairs or honeydew. 

Scale is a name applied to 8,000 different species of insects. While they vary greatly in appearance, Scales are significant crop and tree pest. Female Scales develop a protective covering, and become immobile (sessile) and attached to the plant they are feeding on.

Spider Mites are very tiny arachnids; adult females are about 0.4mm long. They have four pairs of legs and a pair of needlelike stylets (mouth parts) they use to pierce plant tissue and suck juices.

Thrips are tiny (1/16 inch long) slender sucking insects that are yellow, brown or black with fringed wings.

You will see whiteflies on plants as tiny (1/16 inch), white, four-winged, fly-like insects that usually congregate on undersides of leaves. White flies often swarm in clouds when disturbed.